Enter Sweet Sounds:  HieiXOC pov
by ginger204
Summary: Vanya, a village witch and healer, resides on an obscure island named Erys. Her society is a peaceful one, until a stranger Hiei  crash lands on her home shores. This creates a conflict with her mentor Saho, who just happens to be an Elder of the Island
1. Chapter 1

It had been many years since I had talked to anyone from the outside. I know only how old I grow by the orange trees from the orchard that I had planted the first year I came to be trained under Saho. The trees were just short stalky sprouts protruding from the ground when I first planted them as a little girl. But now they are unrecognizable from the seed they had borne from. They produced fruit every summer season and their branches were lean and supple. I could feel the energy pulsing through their veins when I held my hand out and the sensation gave me comfort. A person of average height would have had no trouble picking the oranges from the branches, however, I could not afford such a luxury. The ones set lowest on the trees were the only ones I could reach without the use of a ladder. I was slightly disdainful that all the years of pouring over alchemy and spell books on top of the difficult trials I under went had not aided me in any further physical growth.

But I had advanced in power, ability, and spirit through out the years. Living on Erys Island does that to anyone. The divine energy that permeates through out the island had the effect of making even the meekest person strong willed and powerful, if they were chosen by the spirits. I had been. As a little girl stranded on a plank after a storm at sea I had not died along with the other passengers. Erys had manifested itself before me. My memories up to that point had become distorted like the remains of a past life. Nothing was important before arriving on Erys. The divinity of its spirits continued to bring me further until one day I would reach my full potential. I would ripen in my own sweet mirth and then rot, as was in the nature of the cycle. No orange was meant to last forever.

I continued filling my basket with fruit when I heard a loud and nasty crack in the air only a short distance from where I was. It brought back faint and troublesome memories of the time before I had come to the Island. From when I was a little girl cupping my hands over my ears at a rally with fireworks going off around me and another time when I broke my arm from falling out of a sycamore. I grimaced and looked above me through the linear space between the rows of branches to see a trail of black and purple smoke that cut the sky in two. I gritted my teeth. I had suspicions of what this could mean. It meant outsiders. I was not so ignorant that I remained unaware that while my people chose to live in the cycle of a divine power, there were still many others on the outside who chose a destructive form of it. I knew of their treacherous ways. How they believed they could dominate over power and wield it to their own liking. How they used it to kill each other in large explosions and pelting deadly fast flying bits of rock and steel. My own people had forsaken such powers eons ago. No one but a foreigner could make the mistake of showing such a blasphemous gesture on our land.

I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to find Saho's messenger Mina approaching.

"Vanya," she said, "Did you see that thing in the sky?"

"One would have to be deaf and blind not to notice it, Mina. I suppose Saho wants me to investigate."

Mina shrank back at the reproach. She was a very sweet girl and very kind, though unsure of herself and lacking in common sense at times. She nodded at my assumption and my expression softened. She was still young. Only ten. I knew that I could be a bit patronizing at times to people less experienced than myself and I mentally scolded myself for poor manners. Yet, I thought, I had many more responsibilities and less kind words to live with when I was her age.

I sighed, "No bother. Just take care of the oranges while I'm gone," I instructed, handing her the basket.

The trail down to the beach was winding and long. I had to step over tree roots and pull branches back along the way. Twice I had to pick rocks out of my sandals. I was certain that by the direction the smoke had been moving I could guess that whatever it was had been heading toward the beach. Soon the trail lead to a clearing with a cliff that gave a good view of the stretch of sand below. A crowd had gathered in the wake of the unusual smoke stream. All of them whispering and staring at a scene I was unable to witness myself. A couple of people noticed me coming and stepped aside out of respect. The rest I had to push through.

"Step aside!" I implored, "I am under orders of the Elder."

I carried my voice with more authority than I intended. A couple women in the crowd gave me dirty looks. They knew I was mentored under Saho, everyone did. It was also common knowledge that I would take the place as Elder when Saho died. I had already proven myself last spring. This inspired jealousy among the women in my village which troubled me often. I ignored the rude women and made my way to the edge of the drop off.

The scene below was the last thing I expected to see. Most of the smoke had not dissipated into the air. It remained as a thick black trail thickening into flames that I could hear crackling in the distance. There was no sign of debris that I could see but when I squinted my eyes I could see a form laying motionless in the flames. A sudden breeze stirred the flames and revealed a heap of black clothing.

"There's a person in the fire!" I shouted, trying to remain calm, "Somebody help me! Quick!"

But I did not wait for volunteers. I grabbed the hand of the nearest person I could find and dragged them, running down the ridge. The heat of the fire radiated with increasing fury the closer I traveled until I could finally make out the suggestion of hair and bandages bound tightly around the arms, that for whatever reason, had not shriveled into ash. I took off my outer garment and soaked it in the waves. I turned to see the boy I had grabbed kicking sand on the fire to staunch the flames. I smirked, grateful that I had chosen someone clever who could keep their head. I took my wadded up dress and threw it over the body, beating the flames out. Twice I burned myself on the arms but I did not care. The boy took his tunic off and trailed it in the water, ran back, and wrung it out over the flames. Together we put the fire out until there in my arms was a young man still smoking and smelling of putrid ash, soggy and covered in sand from our attempt at rescuing him. I knew that the likelihood of anyone surviving those temperatures was close to impossible. Yet I could still sense his energy; it had not passed on. It was barely there, just a faint occasional throb that I could feel from his core. His skin was not burned away and blistered like I expected, but only slightly red and sooty with some unexplainable cuts and bruises. As unlikely as it seemed, the overcoat that he was wearing was only slightly charred. I turned him over on his back. I gasped in horror upon examining his body. This man had been bludgeoned and there was a deadly gash in his abdomen. I was sure he would never survive from it. I removed his cloak and tore through his shirt for a closer look. It was at least five inches deep. I grimaced. I was hardened to death but all my life I had remained a stranger to violence. And I knew that what I was witnessing here was its aftermath.

I looked into the face of the person before me. He had a hard young face that was twisted into a grimace with jet black hair that stood on end with strange white streaks in the front. I put my ear to his chest. He had no heart beat. I began to pound his chest, trying in vain to induce a rhythm. I put my ear to his chest again. Nothing. But then the stranger's brow furrowed slightly and a deep low growl emanated from his throat. I blinked. _How could this be? Alive without a heart beat? Surely there must be something wrong with my hearing…_

"He's in a coma," I said, coming to my own conclusions, "We need to get him up and bring him to Saho for healing."

"You can use my horse," the boy offered.

I looked him in the eye. He had kind and eager eyes and he stood bent over the young man's body in worry and compassion.

"You are very generous," I told him, "I am forever grateful to you."

Within minutes the boy retrieved his chestnut mare and we both lifted the stranger on to the saddle. Realizing how tiny I was, the boy put his hands together and helped me make a step up and heave onto the horse. With a quick jab of my heels I was off to Saho's shelter in the belly of the Great Cave.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter two**_

_**Saho and many of her apprentices and servants lived on the side of a tor with many different entrances leading into hollows that had been carved out for living spaces. Some were at ground level and some could only be reached by a steep climb. It reminded me of the way bees nested inside their hives. No one knew how the tor came to have so many hollowed out living spaces. No one, except maybe the elders. **_

_**Saho met me at the mouth of her hollow with a knowing, somewhat pleased expression on her face. This gave her the appearance of being a wise crone as well as a precocious child. She chuckled to herself and tossed her white hair so that it cascaded past her shoulders. At times her smug nature made me feel ill at ease but I chose to ignore it, reminding myself that with all her responsibilities and power, arrogance could be excused. **_

"_**I've been predicting this for years. None of the astrologists believed me when I said," she told me.**_

_**I was used to these sort of statements from her. It was rare when Saho ever posed a question. It was settling on my nerves which were often impatient and restless. I could not be bothered with explaining myself all the time and asking frivolous questions of others who struggled to be in the know. **_

_**I nodded, "He seemed to have fallen from the sky, as strange as that sounds. And he was burning up in my flames and there are cuts and gashes all over his body. It is a profound miracle that the impact alone did not kill him."**_

"_**I expected as much," Saho responded, "Let's get him off this horse. Oh, let me get one of my assistants to lift him. I'm too old for this."**_

"_**I can get him," I said, jumping down. His body began to teeter to the side without me holding him and I quickly grabbed him and eased him to the ground, clenching my teeth from the weight. To my surprise, I realized that if he had been standing straight on his feet we would have been eye level. **_

"_**Short, that one," Saho said with a bemused expression on her face, "Let's get him to a bed."**_

_**There was no question that this stranger had piqued the curiosity of many. Some had tried to stop me on my way to my own hollow to ask who the stranger was. I deflected their questions with sour contempt. A wonder that they would expect answers when they themselves will not help me with this young man. **_**Once inside my hollow I pulled back the curtain to the mouth of the entrance. It would be difficult to concentrate on the task at hand with people leaning over my shoulder. By candle light I could see Mina curled up on one of the cushions in a corner. She was fast asleep. **

"**Mina!" I said.**

**The girl did not stir.**

"**Mina! You are trying my patience!" I moved to pull the cushion out from under her. She flopped over and rubbed her eyes, obviously confused. **

"**Wha-what?"**

**My brow furrowed. I had no time for this. "I want you to hurry up and get some water to boil. Make haste!"**

**Mina did not stop to ask why. One look at the strange young man in the bed and she had it figured in her own mind. She no longer asked me so many questions as she did before she came under the service of Saho. I did not feel remorse for my impatience or sharp tones. I knew that it was doing her good and that she was learning from it. Perhaps she could even become an apprentice one day, as I had. **

**I set my palm over the logs in my fire and closed my eyes concentrating, trying to visualize them igniting. I felt a source of heat begin to build in my hand, as though I had placed my palm on a hot cooking pan. I opened my eyes to find the logs ablaze. I smiled to myself, proud that my powers had grown stronger over the years. With the fire burning and the water boiling I stepped toward the stranger. He lay listless and immobile, though he was sweating a great deal as if he had developed a fever. His eyelids were twitching slightly as if he were having a nightmare. I instructed Mina to bring the bandages and different herbal remedies from my cabinet while I cleaned his cuts and gashes. While she was gone I slowly, tenderly, eased his shirt off so that I could examine his wounds properly. With him partially unclothed I could tell that for a person so short of stature he was well muscled. I guessed his core body strength when he was at full health would certainly be impressive. I began cleaning his wounds with a damp rag. Mina came back with the bandages and my remedies. All my training would come to good use. I knew which plants to use to staunch bleeding and induce fast healing. If he was tended to carefully he had a good chance of pulling through. **

**With his injuries bound I slumped down into my chair and wiped my brow. **

"**Thank you, Mina. You are free for the night, unless Saho has plans for you."**

**After Mina had left, my eyes wandered back to the figure asleep in my bed. I put my hand over his brow to try to check his temperature but he had a sweat band tied around his forehead so that it made it difficult to tell. I untied the piece of cloth and tossed it to the side. I was about to lay my hand over his face when I noticed a strange arc-shaped crease in his flesh. I traced my finger over the ripple of skin.**

'_**This is an odd birth mark, indeed,' **_**I thought to myself.**

**Suddenly, the crease burst open and I jumped back, holding in a scream. It was not a birth mark or a simple imperfection of the flesh. It was a large blue eye planted right in the middle of his forehead. It stared at me blankly showing no form of acknowledgement. Instead it gave me the impression that I was under a radar. Just when I began to move backward and shuffle back to my seat, the stranger sat bolt upright and grabbed my throat in his fist. Before I had time to think I was staring into two bright red eyes and a mouth twisted in furious anger.**

"**Where am I?" he ordered, "Tell me fool!" **

**My throat was stuck and I couldn't find the words to speak that would rebuke his rage. His thumb pinched into my windpipe and I thought that if I did not utter something, he would kill me. **

"**I… I'm… here t-to… help you," I croaked.**

**His eyes widened in amazement and I knew this was my chance. I reached behind me and grabbed the kettle from the stand, swinging it, and knocking him out once more. He dropped back down to the pillow, harmless and unaware. Even the third eye had closed. I breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the place where I had struck him. He was beginning to form a welt. **

**I summed it up in my head and realized the only explanation. He had to be one of the demons from our folk tales that crash landed here by mistake or otherwise. No human I knew of could live with such a mutation. I ran to Saho, deciding it best to inform her of this before any more damage could be done. **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I found Saho sitting in her quarters reading under the light of a chandelier. She looked up when she heard me come in, shadows dancing mysteriously across her aged face. Her lips curled into a smile as though she were happy to see me. I was quite prideful of these moments for they were rare. Anytime I pleased her I felt as though I had truly earned it.

"Saho, may I speak to you for a moment on a matter of importance?" I inquired.

She sighed and snapped her book shut, "I suppose, now that you've barged in on my reading hour. I think that alone is a demand for my attention. What is it?"

My face burned. I was ashamed at my own disregard for manners. At one time I could feel like a worthy and valuable asset and at the next be nothing more than an obnoxious and insignificant gnat. I continued speaking, "I have reason to believe that the stranger we rescued from the beach today is not human."

She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."

"Well, as I was tending to his injuries this past hour I noticed something that alarmed me."

"Yes, go on. No need to stretch out the suspense for entertainment's sake, Vanya. What is it that you noticed about him?"

"A third eye."

Saho's brow furrowed. She had not quite lost her composure but this had taken her by surprise. She was silent for a few moments.

"I think he's a demon," I said.

Saho smirked, "Ordinarily I would tell you that your imagination had run away with you. What would a demon want with us? We are a peaceful people and live in harmony. Quite boring by demon standards. However, now that I think about it, it could swing the other way too. We are peaceful and someone might come along wanting to corrupt us. Take pleasure in watching us perform heinous acts against our own natures, such as murder. And the third eye bit is certainly disconcerting." She smiled as though this was all very amusing to her and I thought it a bit odd.

"It's in the middle of his forehead" I continued, "We didn't notice it before because it was covered. He woke up for an instant while I was caring for him and he did not recognize me. He tried to choke me."

"He's a demon and lived in a different world than ours. He's not used to hospitality without some ulterior motive. That's all. Now that he's seen your face he will not have reason to feel threatened by your presence. There's no reason you shouldn't continue treating him, just as you were."

I did not admit that this troubled me. I knew she wanted none of my complaints. Even so, her eyes flickered toward me and gave me a knowing smile. One of her hands retreated into her robes and pulled out a small glass vial. She handed it to me.

"Use that, if you see anymore violent behavior. This is not a request. It is an order. For you, I am making this one exception under our creed."

I was hesitant to take the vial but my own will faltered under the strain of obedience. I took the vial and put it in a pouch around my waist. I knew it was poison. I wasn't dumb.

"I… when he tried to choke me… I struck him. With the tea kettle. I am sorry."

I waited for a stern reproach. Hitting back, even in self defense, was treated with contempt. Only the Elders, in their wisdom and good judgment, were allowed to act out in violence. I knew that I could be punished for striking the demon. But the consequences could be far greater if I had not told Saho. With her psychic powers, she would have found out either way. Best to clear my conscience in honesty rather than hide in treachery.

"Living in peace is not always easy, Vanya," Saho said guessing my thoughts. She glanced a dark corner of her hollow and her expression turned grim. "We have our choices. And our way of life is coming to an end very soon I'm afraid."

She continued staring as if in a daze as a tear rolled down her withered cheek. I shuffled my feet. I was not used to her showing emotion and her ominous prediction unnerved me. She waved her hand and looked at me. The sadness was gone. The difficult all-knowing mentor I had known most of my life was back with me again. I gave a sigh of relief.

"You may go. Do not trouble yourself with things you have no hand in."

I turned to go out but I stopped. I posed one more question, "Did you see this coming, then?"

"A stranger from the outside coming here by sheer dumb luck? Yes. But I did not know that he would be a demon. The specifics of the future remain always out of reach for us. However, I did know that he would yield some great power, whether it be good or bad. We must restore him to full health and consciousness and then decide what to do with him."

Though it seemed strange to restore a demon to full health if we might need to kill him later, I did not question this.

I nodded, "We must all watch him very closely."

And with the last word I retreated into the darkness of the night, making the journey back to my own hollow with the mysterious outsider asleep in my bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

To my dismay, when I came back to my hollow the stranger was sitting bolt upright with an essence of scorn and distrust tainting his young face. Even his hair stood on end as though it were alert and ready to pounce.

"Who are you?" he said.

I ignored the impatience in his voice as I pulled the curtain back. Then I turned to him. "Vanya," I said.

"Where am I?"

"Erys," I said.

His eyes widened. I took pleasure in his shock. "I have heard of it," he said, "I thought it was lost to the sea."

"No," I said, "Only lost from view. And who, may I ask, are you?"

"That is unnecessary information."

It occurred to me after a short time that this person was aggravating me.

"That's a fine way to treat your healer, especially after giving you their bed for rest."

His red eyes shifted from a state of scorn to suspicion, "Also something that is completely unnecessary."

"A simple thank you might be all that is in order."

His eyes narrowed, "No. I do not thank people for burdens that they willing take upon themselves."

I decided to let him think that he had won the argument. But from now on I'd be much less gentle while cleaning his wounds and maybe even give an extra tug or jab in the most tender places for his insolence.

"Listen here, I am not a simple serving woman. I am under the tutelage of the great elder Saho, minion."

"Hn. And I am Hiei Jaganshi, fire demon and wielder of the Jagan eye, human. I serve nobody."

I narrowed my eyes at him. I thought he was very arrogant. "If you stay out of my way and don't get on my nerves, we'll get along just fine," I told him.

"I couldn't have put it better myself."

"Also, I would be careful who you confide in, especially about your being a demon. Many here would see you as a threat and find you unwelcome."

"Hn. I do not fear the inferiority of humans."

He laid back down and rolled over, facing the wall with his back to me.

'_Brat' _I thought.

I put another log on the fire and turned to see him again. This time I could tell he was shaking. I approached him, my fear for him diminishing. I saw his persistent rudeness as a sign of his own weakness. One day he would pay dearly for it, demon or not.

I stretched my hand out to feel his temperature once more. He caught my hand in his own, preventing me from getting close. I raised an eyebrow at him and stared him down. I was getting my way.

"I'm checking your temperature. Nothing more nothing less," I told him.

He barred his teeth and huffed under his breath, reluctant to take his hand away. When he did I felt his forehead. I buried my mind in thought. Such a high temperature would have surely killed any other human being. I was truly perplexed. I placed a wet cloth on his forehead and poured him some medicinal tea that had been left to steep while I paid Saho a visit. I told him to drink it, which he did through a grimace. I allowed him this. I knew that it was not pleasant tasting. I settled back into my chair as he sipped his drink.

"Tomorrow I will change your bandages. And I will use my healing power on some of the more serious wounds," I told him.

He nodded. He had nothing more to say. I could tell he did not like being bedridden and having concoctions forced down his throat. He detested the thought of being obedient whether it was for his own good or not. I could easily sympathize with him. And yet, when I looked at my own life, I had lived all these years under a constant state of obedience, without question. I furrowed my brow, _'How sad,' _I thought. I shook the unusual feeling off. Everything I'd ever done paid off in the end.

I awoke the next morning to light escaping under the curtain of my burrow's opening. I half expected that I was asleep in my own straw bed but the creak in my neck suggested otherwise. I had woken up in my chair with the ashes of the fire glowing passively. Hiei was still fast asleep in my bed, his face buried in the pillow. I crept slowly and silently to my bureau and began to brush out the tangles in my black hair. My hair had grown down nearly to my waist and it was beginning to become a hassle. I would have to chop it soon. Instead I put it up in a messy bun and slipped into my sandals. I began to walk down to the creek so that I could wash myself. It was only a short mile away and I would not be gone long.

When I returned Hiei was awake and sitting up in bed, just as I expected him to be.

"Good morning," I said.

"Hn."

His curt responses were something that I would have to get used to. I busied myself with braiding my hair with my back to him, hiding the irritation evident on my face. I built up a fire and put some water on to boil. Afterward I turned to him, "Time to change bandages."

He nodded and handed me his arm. I was appreciative of his willingness to comply. I began unraveling his wrappings and started cleaning the wounds with a rag dipped in hot water. He let me clean them without once cringing from the pain.

"Were you the one who found me?" he asked.

"Yes," I told him, still busy on my task.

Ten minutes passed by in which neither of us muttered a single word. With both his arms newly bandaged I proceeded to undo the wrappings around his waist and chest. As I worked at this I began to realize that I enjoyed seeing and touching his body. Although he was small like I was, his lean muscular physique counterbalanced this in the most flattering of ways. The flames flickered and cast shadows dancing across his smooth olive skin. The light from the fire caught in his eyes as he raised them to meet my own. For a moment I feared that he had caught on to my unruly thought patterns. There was something in his face that just seemed to know… and then it was gone. I reproached myself for my foolishness. Hiei was not the sort of person I would want to become involved with, even on the most primal level. If indeed, I simply HAD to succumb to my desires, there were other men I could rely on to have them fulfilled. It was not as if I hadn't done so before. Besides, with his rudeness to be accounted for, he'd be a selfish lover anyhow.

At this thought, Hiei began to grow unusually indignant.

"Why do you insist on causing me as much unneeded pain as possible?" He asked.

"I'm being as gentle as I can. You aren't even flinching at my touch," I told him, "Hold still…"

I raised my outstretched hand a couple inches above the gash in his abdomen. Hiei continued to stare at me intently to see what I would do. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I hoped that this would work. I had only started to refine my abilities a short time ago. I wasn't sure that for a laceration so severe it would do him any good. I picked out the warmth within my core. It was like searching for an obscure constellation in the night sky… memorizing its movements from day to day until I could discern it with greater precision and timeliness. I searched for the point of warmth, found it, and began to spread it outward, focusing it into the palm of my hand and then further along into my fingertips. I opened my eyes and began circulating the power over and around the wound. Slowly, very slowly, the blood that had been escaping began to clot and then dry. From the corner of my eye I saw Hiei's mouth ajar in amazement. Yes, I half expected that. The skin began to come back together at the seams. When I was through not even a scar remained.

I proceeded to treat the other cuts and bruises in the same way until his body was fully recovered. By the end of it I had started shaking in a cold sweat, as unsteady as a full glass of water in the middle of an earthquake. I had exported more of my energy than I could afford. I was paying the price for my over confidence. The strength it would take to raise even one finger seemed taxing. I sank into the chair beneath me and began to wilt from the exhaustion. The last thing I remember is my face coming into contact with solid warmth and the soft sensation of someone raking their fingers through my hair. Then nothing for a good long while.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

I awoke with my limbs entangled in something warm and heavy with a foreign scent, something smelling of smoke and pine. I opened my eyes. They hurt as though they had been marinating in a vat of gasoline for days. I shook off the grogginess and looked around me. I was still in my room but the fire had dimmed to just a few burning coals. I shifted onto my side, pulling on the dense black material draped over me. I recognized it as the overcoat that I found Hiei wearing when I first found him. But Hiei was no where in sight. I shivered. The dying fire had left a cold and empty stone vessel in its wake. I had no idea how much time had passed. I tried to recount everything that happened. And then the stupid mistake I made resurfaced in my mind. I cringed. _'I should have been more patient. He would not have died from his injuries as they were, it was useless to spend all my energy."_

My feet found the floor. I shuffled to the middle of the room. The pitcher that I used to keep drinking water in was empty. Enough time must have passed for me to become wild with thirst. I grabbed the pitcher and stepped outside. Night had fallen with a cool breeze sweeping the trees into the wave of a somber dance. I continued to the stream and was midway there when a twig snapped from somewhere in the trees. There was nothing to the front or back of me and nothing along the sides. I turned my head upward and was met with a pair of crimson eyes glimmering in the moonlight. It was Hiei crouched down on a tree limb staring at me with intent.

"You're up," he said.

"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing. I just expected you to be out for much longer than a few hours. You wasted all your energy on a couple of paper cuts more or less."

I furrowed my brow. His criticism was harsh but I could not help if he was in the right. "I'll know better next time," I responded. I kept walking on.

Hiei disappeared out of the tree and in a blurred flash appeared back on solid ground standing next to me. I tried to be more stoic than I felt. In actuality, his swift movements were rather unsettling.

"May I join you?" he asked.

I narrowed my eyes. He didn't seem like the social type. I was immediately suspicious of his intentions, though I did not refuse him. We walked in silence until we arrived at the stream.

The stream looked more beautiful by night. The moon shone on the water and the light vibrated within the tiny ripples of the water. The sight spoke peace and seclusion. But not quite. Hiei was still tagging along with me. Any time I came to the stream I preferred to be alone. My mind went back to the overcoat I found covering me when I awoke. Though my impression of Hiei was that he was an aloof and rather rude individual, he could not be all bad. And I wasn't dense enough to think of myself as a saint. I sat down by the bank and dipped the pitcher in the stream. I took a long drink and then offered it to Hiei. He shook his head. I set it down between us and we watched the sky without speaking.

"How are your injuries?" I inquired.

"Fully recovered at your own expense, as you should know."

I felt heat rise in my face, "I did not mean to. No need to bring up the past."

"Right. No need to bring up a mere twelve hours ago."

I turned to face him, "If you would like to remain ungrateful and condescending, that's your choice. I made the decision, however stupid it might have been, to help you beyond my own means. Only a day ago you were as weak as a newborn cat. Now you appear healthy before me with only criticisms and arrogance. You certainly didn't mind benefiting from my powers. I suppose it is only appropriate that once you drink something up you'll want to piss it out. Just like every other man I've come to know."

Hiei furrowed his brow. Something told me that for a long time he had been superior in wit to almost everyone around him, using it to expose and mock their flaws. But I refused to be mocked. In me he met his match. Apparently he wasn't used to it because he said nothing else for a long time. Then he picked up the pitcher and took a long swig from it, wiped his mouth, and sighed. Then he offered it to me. I nodded and took another drink myself. This unspoken courtesy said much more than any of our petty quarrels or snide remarks. I looked at him and smiled. He returned a smirk, barely visible in the dark, but still there… a well-wishing omen obvious in my gaze.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter seven

As the weeks passed, being around Hiei became more effortless. I began to know him as the calculating, sarcastic, dark person that he was. While these traits would have turned off many other people from wanting to know him, they only increased the feeling of comfort I had when I was near him. I felt like I didn't have to try so hard to maintain composure since he was so controlled in everything he did. His behavior was fairly consistent. I did not have to predict how and if he would change on the basis of any given situation. He was not like the crowd of people around the crash site at the beach, so driven by their own curiosity and fear.

Fear festered within them all, like some incurable boils that had wreaked havoc under the skin, of which I could do nothing about. Once when Hiei had walked with me to draw water from the stream, several people peaked out through their curtains to get a better look and then closed them abruptly. Hiei had shown no hostility toward any of them. It was simply the rumor of him being a demon that spread the fear among them. I felt defensive about this at first. How dare they? And yet Hiei seemed to pay it no mind so I chose not to either.

After he had recovered he no longer used my bed and instead resorted to sleeping in trees, burrowing himself within the nesting of their branches, safely hidden from view. Though I was grateful to have my bed back I could not help but acknowledge the feeling of vacancy in my room since he was no longer there. I had spent my nights with men before in a less chaste fashion. I simply lead them to my bed upon impulse without ever growing an attachment to even one of them. So why him? Confusion blurred my mind daily as to how to go about identifying my own emotions. I had no one to talk to and no friends to turn to. I preferred it this way.

But I was contradicting myself. I had a friend in Hiei. Though we never spoke much comfort to one another our initial interactions within the first couple of weeks were a simple telltale sign. We began to share lunch in the grass on a daily basis, almost on cue. We even made small talk, something that neither of us was very much accustomed to doing. We'd pass the dishes of rice and vegetables between us and watch the clouds drift over the field like the lazy dreaming of an aged poet past his prime. Hiei asked me a question and I would answer it, returning a question to him awaiting a similar response. At first this felt restrictive and rehearsed. But as we got to know each other it became part of a more natural eb and flow, our voices rising and falling with the east wind.

I never knew that a daily lunch meeting could be so necessary to my enjoyment. Everyday I walked past the hill to the clearing of tall grass with the expectation to see his black overcoat swaying in the wind. The contrast that his darkness created between the deep blue sky and the vibrant green of the field was always striking. He never told me that he would wait for me everyday at lunch time in the field. It was just something to count on. Before too much longer I began to suspect that he was just meeting me for a free meal. Even as I thought this I was proved wrong. The next day he was waiting for me with two cooked trout on a stick. He nodded to me and smirked. I took the stick from his hand, my fingers lingering against his for just a second longer than they needed to before I turned away to sit. I thought I was being discreet enough but it had not escaped him. Through the rest of the hour he sat next to me eating with a small but satisfied smile on his face.

And I didn't know what to make of any of it.

Not before long Saho wished to have a private conference with Hiei. This made me nervous. I still remembered the vial of poison that Saho had given me to use in case of a worst case scenario, she who had been a spokesperson against most violence, except when it came to an occasional death sentence. I no longer carried the vial with me but stowed it away in a locked box in my bed chambers. I was setting aside the option to kill Hiei and at the same time unable to abandon it completely. Though I would not admit it, I had grown quite fond of him in the time that passed. As my foolish reasoning suggested, this was a good enough reason for me not to consider him a potential danger. At times I still felt under the pressure of the 'what if?'. What if he plotted to kill everyone in the village? Would I then resort to slipping the poison into his drink, only to have him choke and die alongside me in the field under the open sky? These ultimatums I imagined for myself grew tiresome. As it turned out, I might not have had to make a decision about it. Saho had the final word in the matter. Hiei's life rested in her hands.

I knew that Saho had chosen death for a couple suspecting villains before. I knew not by what means, whether it be by drowning, starvation, or a knife to the heart. While I knew this was less cruel than what outsiders did to their vermin… something was not right about it to me… It was only in the years to come that I would learn what the term "fair trial" meant. And I would realize that all my childhood when a chosen few were put to death it was because of nothing greater than a suspicion of guilt. Hiei did not blend in enough. I had a right at the time to fear for him. And yet… I also took into account Hiei's demonic abilities. I had already witnessed his speed at various intervals. But the rest remained a mystery. The idea that the true level of his powers was unknown to me left room for anxiety. Tales of demons plaguing the human race… feasting off their bodies and destroying entire cities… resonated within my mind. I was sure that I could not imagine Hiei eating someone. Yet he was not so innocent. If Saho attempted anything, he would kill her. I was sure of it. And a massacre through out my peaceful village would ensue. Many could die and it would be the end of life as we knew it. Everything would fall into shadow and ruin.

'_Fuck,' _I thought, _'That sure is depressing.'_

When I went to fetch Hiei I found him taking an afternoon snooze in a tree limb, his arms folded behind his head and his eyes moving listlessly beneath their lids. I cleared my throat. He opened one eye and peered down at me.

"I knew you were there," he said.

"No fooling you," I replied, "Saho would like a conference with you."

"Hn. And why would that be?"

"I'm not sure," I lied, biting my lip.

Hiei smirked, remaining unconvinced. In a short flash of movement he was on his feet next to me.

"Very well. Lead me to the old crone. I shall hear her will for my life with great satisfaction and be an obedient lackey to her word."

My eyes widened. He was not ignorant of what was to come and yet he refused to drop his arrogant demeanor in the face of his own death. He gripped something at his waist. I looked down and saw a sword hanging from his belt, a weapon that I could not remember ever being in his possession.

"I found it washed up on the shore," Hiei said, guessing my thoughts. He did this fairly often.

"I would leave it behind. She may take it as a sign of hostility."

"Hn. How very ironic, since she seems to be the one weighing my life in her hands."

I admitted he had a point. Still, it made me uneasy. "Follow me."

I lead Hiei to Saho's hollow in the Tor. Before he stepped behind the curtain he turned and looked at me in acknowledgement, something that appeared close to gratitude. He nodded and walked through. I heard Saho greet him in a cold voice and I backed away. I knew it was not permissible to listen in and I could not have gotten away with doing so. I sat down by a rock outside. A sick feeling of nausea bore down on my stomach. I closed my eyes and rested my head on my knees. _'I should know better…' _I thought, not knowing the strange context of my own words.

After another half hour I heard footsteps approaching. I looked up and saw Hiei walking toward me. There was no trace of the outcome in his face. His expression was flat as always. I stared at him wishing to pose an inquiry of the situation. He stopped in front of me with a hand in his pocket.

"There's really no way for me to get out of here without the use of a portal," he said, "Or so she told me. And the old crone is too ancient to make one. It will be a very long time before I can return to the Living World, let alone Demon World. Erys seems to be severed from all else which makes things exceedingly difficult for me."

"And?"

"She did nothing more than warn me that if I shed a drop of blood on the island she will have my head. For such a keeper of the peace she doesn't hold herself above idle threats. And besides… she could not have me dead even if she were to wish it, despite her authority. I am not a defenseless child anymore."

This seemed like a strange use of words. Who had said anything about him being a child? I didn't even know if demons could be children really… before I decided to voice this Hiei continued.

"And so… even your mentor should beware of how she dictates to me. She is not all knowing and omnipotent as she would have you think."

I furrowed my brow, "Did I say that I ever thought that of her?"

"Well, no. But she does seem to have a great deal of command over you. I wonder that someone with so much potential should submit to such superficial authority."

I stood up facing him, my nails digging into the palms of my hands as I fisted them together, "Everyone must submit to someone. It is how we all survive."

"You could survive on your own if you really wanted to. You have the strength of will. But still you continue to live for others instead of yourself. I never understood such wasteful idealism."

"If it is beyond your understanding then the fault lies with you."

Hiei narrowed his eyes at me. He appeared both aggravated and impressed. "Hn. Always turning my point of view against me. Very well. Forgive me for admitting that I find you on a caliber above everyone else."

In a quick flash he was gone, probably up a tree somewhere if I knew him well enough. I shuffled my feet, now completely uneasy. _'What the fuck just happened?' _I thought to myself. His insults had undergone a discreet transformation into a style of ambiguous flattery. I smiled to myself. Being doted on in this unlikely manner was something I could find myself getting used to very quickly.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven

As midsummer began there was a spike in pregnancies as well as births I had to attend to. It seemed that I was no longer just the village medicine woman but the local midwife. Several times I was awoken from my sleep by nervous fathers-to-be stumbling into my hollow, beckoning my attention to their laboring mates. A full night's rest was becoming a luxury and through the dwindling summer heat I delivered child after child. The next two weeks became a messy tangle of delirious women heaving forever into the heat of the dawn; of blood and birth sacks and wide gaping mouths, toothless pits pleading to be instantly gratified. My dreams came to be nightmares of grunting women, sweat dripping down brows, myself being trapped between their open legs, swallowed by the hot smelling flesh and cast forever into darkness. These thoughts troubled me often and I could tell that they meant something… but I was at a loss to what they signified.

I asked Saho what they could mean, hopeful that she could come to a conclusion since I could not. She ran her fingers through her white hair and sighed. "It means… that you need to be immersing yourself in work and not let your thoughts roam free."

This was the equivalent of striking the wrong chord on a guitar. I was surprised at her unwillingness to be helpful. I turned away without complaint. I could not have said it in words but I was losing faith in Saho every day that passed.

On my way home I walked along the shoreline and spotted Shoren pulling a line from the water, retrieving a fish, and casting out again. He was a young man in his twenties, lean and tanned from exposure to the sun. A bit weak willed and simple, but this did not bother me. We used each other for only one thing. I had spent nights with him before and it had been early spring since I had mated with him. I remembered it too, his strong arms gripping me and our sex crazed bodies dancing together in their own sweet mirth. I smiled. Saho had turned me away from her counsel but he would not turn me away from my lust. I stood behind his shoulder, stubborn, until he acknowledged my presence.

"Vanya," he said, not looking at me, "I suppose I can guess what you'd be here for."

"Yes," I said, allowing my breath to whisper past his ear, "I thought you might be interested."

Shoren finally smiled at me turning away from his fish, his dark eyes glistening with desire, "Same time same place?"

I nodded, walking off. In my hollow I scented myself with perfume and crawled naked between the sheets. When Shoren came he cast his pants off and we began the eager roaming of our bodies, the rise and fall of two figures immersed in an act of desperation. To my disappointment he did not seem all that concerned with my pleasure. He pumped away blindly without any technique or thought like a madman chopping wood. With each thrust I imagined that he was warding off my dreams and the endless wailing of damp withered infants. With each heave their faces loomed in my head, being pushed further into my consciousness. It was as though Shoren's body had become a hammer pounding nails into my flesh. I let out a whimper.

"You're not liking this," he muttered in contempt, "It's been a long time for both of us. I don't see what the problem is."

"Nothing. I'm fine."

I felt him finish and he pulled out. But his face was still hovering over me, staring me down. I blushed and cast my eyes to the side. I wish he wouldn't make a big deal out of it. He flopped over on his side exhaling. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at me again.

"You're not usually this difficult. You didn't even come" he mentioned.

He had struck a nerve. "I'm difficult, huh?" I couldn't help it. I let out a cold merciless laugh. I was too angry to feel the sting of embarrassment. In a series of swift motions I had bounded off the bed, pulled Shoren up with me, and shoved him out of my hollow, naked and cold in the freezing rain. I closed the curtain in his dumb awestruck face and laughed once more. I probably should have felt bad for what I had done to him but I did not. I knew that he did not live such a great distance away from my hollow. Fuck him for his incompetence.

I threw on my clothes and put on the hood of my cloak, heading out into the rain. I could feel the cool wet trickles through the cloth and shivered. I wanted to walk this off before going to sleep… which I would have trouble doing anyway, what with the scent of Shoren still on my blankets. I carried myself with a hurt pride to the river bed. I saw Hiei sitting there as well. I froze and started to turn back. I wasn't in the mood for his criticism.

"I can hear you," he told me.

I gulped and turned to sit by him, "Yes. I've been having trouble sleeping."

I looked over and saw Hiei's nose twitching in the breeze. He was smelling something. "Trouble sleeping, my ass. You've been with the fisher boy Shoren," he said.

I snarled at him, contemptuous of his superior senses. "It is none of your business," I told him.

"I was just stating a fact. It's not as though I care what you do."

"Good because I didn't ask you," I told him, "It's not your concern who I invite to bed."

"Especially since he happens to be below par in that department, and quite self seeking, I assume."

I did not answer this for I could not deny it.

"He's a fool," Hiei pointed out.

I was comforted by his immediate dislike of Shoren. I had no good opinion of him, anymore. From this day on, the comfort I had found in his touch would mean nothing but a source of aggravation. I sighed. I had turned to him in the hopes of making me feel better. But I only felt worse.

"You look pale and unwell," Hiei said, "A wonder he did not pick that up."

"He's not one for observations."

"You've been working yourself too hard," Hiei told me, "If you keep this up you will become ill. And there will be no one to care for you."

I became irritable at the thought but I could not shrug off the truth in his words. "God, Hiei," I said, "You're such a pessimist."

"Hn. And you're too optimistic of your own endurance. It's a wonder to me because you do not actually feel much compassion for these people. You do it simply because you see no other choice."

"What do you know about it? Nothing. You don't know anything but your own selfish nature."

"Stop using your accusations as a means to deflect the point. I was only stating an opinion. You do a lot of good. But you're letting yourself be used."

"I know that. It comes with the territory. I am expected to be Elder in Saho's place someday. I need the preparation, even if it drains me dry."

Hiei looked at me for a moment, considering. "All I've been hearing about… is what you're expected to do."

My eyes glanced down at my hands folded in my lap. He was right.

"Well, I'm sure you'll make a fine Elder, albeit an unhappy one," He replied, standing and slinging his sword over his shoulder.

"And what about you? You're stuck here the same way that I am."

He raised an eyebrow, almost intrigued that it would even occur to me to ask. Then he turned to walk away, "I'll be… dissatisfied. And restless. It doesn't matter."

And with those final words he disappeared into the dark.


	8. Chapter 8

_So, there was a bit of mistyping in the last two chapters. I think I have two that both say chapter seven. Oops. But seriously, this chapter is number eight. For real. _

Chapter Eight (TAH-DAH!)

Over the coming weeks Saho had me so busy that I could barely think or rest on my own. I no longer spent my midday meals with Hiei. Instead I grabbed a half loaf of bread for my lunch every day and ate as I worked. The number of expectant and delivering mothers had decreased and yet all she was giving me of orders… was busy work. Ridiculous things too. "Walk over to the other side of the Island. Spend a day there, then walk back, and report to me." "Clean out all the chamber pots of the entire Tor. Scrub them until they shine. Then pour me a bath." "I want you to kill a calf for meat. Kill it, but do not cook it or prepare it in anyway." I did kill that calf and I left it in her chamber just as she instructed. Three days later I stepped into her hollow for another task and spotted the carcass rotting and gathering flies in the heat. She had no intention of ever eating it. Leaving meat to waste was seriously abhorred in our culture. It was believed that animals sacrificed their own lives for the well being of others. It was the greatest honor and wasting it was putting them and yourself to shame. It occurred to me that she was ordering me about like a servant for no other purpose than to keep me occupied. Abusing her authority was something that was out of her character. I thought that maybe it was just an eccentric streak she was going through. A phase that would pass.

But it did not pass.

She had me digging holes in the ground and stacking rocks and chopping wood to be left unused and wasted in the rain. When ever I asked her about this she became irate. "Do not question," she told me, "You will see in time." This was her explanation for everything hence forth. I began to despair, fearing that perhaps my once wise and well respected mentor was spiraling into insanity.

'_And yet,' _said a voice in my head, _'It's not as innocent as common madness.'_

The only good thing that came out of the weeks ahead was that the number of delivering mothers began to dwindle. As a result, my recurring dream became less prevalent. I was glad to be out of the hot dens of child bearing and once again revert to my tasks of food gathering and medicinal preparations. There was the occasional broken bone or bee sting that I had to deal with but it all became very minor. For a long time I thought I was in the clear as far as the dream went but it came upon me another night and caught me off guard. I decided then that I must think of my own interpretation. Maybe that I had a growing distaste for child bearing? But somehow that didn't seem quite right…

I was sitting in the grass with Hiei enjoying mouthfuls of the usual rice and veggie dish. It was the first time I'd really seen him in about a month and I was looking forward to a peaceful reunion. But as it was, he would not have it.

"Something's bothering you," Hiei stated as we ate.

I nodded. He could always tell these things. There was no use disagreeing.

"Yes," I said, "It's about a dream I had."

"Hn. Dreams. I haven't dreamed in years."

"I find that not very likely. Everyone dreams some of the time."

"Unless you're keen on doing otherwise. So tell me, what was this dream of yours about?"

I told him about it. I didn't think it would help any. Hiei was not the sort to get caught up with matters of the spirit or any sort of soothsaying, I was sure. He took a moment to think and then he answered.

"I think it means that unless you continue to progress and transcend your obstacles, you will regress in a manner that is beyond your control, leaving you powerless."

My mouth reduced into a thin line. Hiei had surprised me with his insight. "I never knew you to be a dream interpreter, Hiei."

Hiei drew his cup to his lips, "It doesn't take a dream to tell me that. I've been observing you for long enough to know that the dream is merely a reflection of your conflicts."

"But I don't have any serious problems."

Hiei smirked, "Hn. We both know that's not true. You will have to admit it to yourself sooner or later, Vanya."

Hiei finished his tea and set his cup down, looking to the line of trees just below us. "Have I ever mentioned, that this place resembles my birth place a great deal?"

I raised my eyebrow. He hardly ever talked about his past. "No, you have not."

"My mother was named Hina, who resided on an island in the sky called Glacial Village. She belonged to a race called the Koorime, a breed of female ice demons that reproduce asexually every one hundred years to a girl. My mother conceived me through another male fire demon, which is forbidden in their society. I was banished shortly after my birth. They dropped me off the edge… a long fall into the river below. They were expecting that I would die. But I remember what Glacial Village was like. Isolated from the rest of the world and ruled by heartless Elders intent on micromanaging the lives of their people. And so while I feel at home here, it's not necessarily a good thing, you see."

With his past revealed I felt a sense of pride. I was glad that he confided with me. And yet… "Saho may be a bit domineering at times, but she does not rule me."

Hiei's nostrils flared. He was clearly annoyed, "For someone so determined and intelligent you sure are stupid when you put your mind to it."

My cup trembled against its saucer as I shook with anger. "You're an outsider, Hiei, I don't expect you to understand."

"And I don't expect you to gain any sense either, not with your head in the sand."

I snapped. I threw down my cup and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him off the ground to stand at my level, "Listen fool!," I growled, "What concern is it to you? You have no business in what ever happens to me. It does not involve you."

He glared back at me with equal force, gritting his teeth, "Fine. Continue living as a mere pawn on her chest board. You won't hear me complain."

Moments passed in which we did nothing but stare into each other's enraged faces. I knew he was right… there was something going on… Saho behaved differently these days, more secretive and authoritative, giving me orders with no thought to explanation.

"Just because you do not wish something to be," Hiei continued, "Doesn't mean it will bend to your will."

I dropped him and returned to a sitting position. My face reddened. I knew that I had once again broken the nonviolence creed. "I am sorry for that," I told him.

"Hn. Don't be. I meant to provoke you. You're not half weak for a human. I thought you were actually going to hit me."

I bit my lip, slightly saddened, "Do you really think humans are that bad, Hiei?"

"No. I do make a few exceptions," he said looking at me.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

I woke everyday to attend to my duties which included preparing medicinal herbs as well as visiting the sickly and child bearing mothers. I did my tasks well and with great care as always though I always looked forward to the end of the day, wondering if I would see Hiei and we could return to our place near the stream after dusk had settled. In this time we exchanged histories. He told me how he had come to Erys… the explanation for the fire and all the strange purple smoke. He had summoned a deadly dragon from deep within the spirit realm while in the heat of battle with a tough opponent. He had intended to absorb its power but instead it gained dominance over him and torpedoed him through the air for a great distance until he came to the Island. He told me about how he had been an ally for a team that went through out east Asia battling demons in the human world. About being abandoned as a child. I told him about how I had been wasting away at sea before I came to Erys shipwrecked and about my many trials. I was awed by how easily we could open up to each other, for the both of us were antisocial in our own rights. Perhaps that is why we trusted each other all the more. I never could stand the quacking gossiping older women in the village, how they would group around like cowardly hens, clucking and pecking at whomever they chose.

One day, while I stood in line to get bread from the baker, I could feel myself being watched under a critical eye. Through my peripheral vision I could feel them point at me. And snicker. And then I heard my name. "… Vanya has certainly been spending a lot of time with that demon." "I wonder how Saho feels about having her apprentice mate with a demon?" "… she always was… a bit of a harlot…" "…well, I certainly don't want to be guided by an elder that whores herself out to such filth."

In the wake of such nasty comments, I tried to keep a flat expression on my face, hoping that it wouldn't begin to peel off as I bartered for bread. Their words, in essence, had not really offended me. It would not be the first or last time I was called whore. But what I did mind… was the mentioning of Hiei and I mating. Did we really seem that close to everyone around us? I blushed at the thought of sharing such intimacy with him and shuffled forward in line. I had never mated with someone that was anything beyond a friendly acquaintance. But suddenly… mating didn't seem like the right word for it… but I knew no other terminology. Except for fucking. And that just sounded awful. I gazed upward, looking wistfully at the clouds… the two of us… the smell of him… and his body… It seemed so abstract and out of my reach. But I sighed and shrugged the thought off. Some things simply could not be pushed. I had never mated with someone that I actually cared about. And Hiei was just about as warm and tender as a hybrid cactus plant in January. It was well enough that we could be as close as we were and still function.

Saho began to take note of my nightly disappearances and questioned me about it. I told her that I did not know what she was talking about. Hiei and I weren't doing anything harmful, just talking and watching the night fall.

"Watch yourself," she said, waving an aging finger at me, "That you do not become attached."

"I do not know what you mean…" I said turning red.

"You know perfectly well what I mean," she snapped, "I will not have my best apprentice fraternizing with a fire demon. If you are not careful, there is a mess waiting for you that you cannot possibly imagine."

"Saho, we both know that men are not foreign to me. I have had a few lovers here and there. All of them being rather meek and pathetic, of course."

"Yes, but you did not develop a personal bond with them either. It was just shallow fucking as far as either of us is concerned. With this fire demon it is different. His kind live on a level of violence and indecency that you know nothing about."

"Then why don't you just kick him out then?" I asked, "It's not as though you need him around for anything."

I saw her throat swallow. Saho grimaced and the wrinkles in her forehead tightened, "Because I do not have the power to send him away. None of the other elders think he is a demon. They think I'm a crazy old bat. And he has done nothing to convince them that he harbors any ill intentions."

"Then it's settled," I said, "He's not going anywhere."

Saho glared at me, "Watch your disrespect," she warned, "I gave you your power. I can take it away just as easily."

I bowed my head to her and exited her hollow. I did not want to quarrel with my superior… and yet… how could she be so elitist? It was not she that gave me my power. I bade the spirits to give it to me so that I may go out and perform good works. She was simply the teacher who taught me how to develop them further… my initiator. Though she had all my respect she was still nothing more than the catalyst for my own abilities. All my life I did as she instructed. How dare she use her authority against me in personal matters? For the first time in my life, I was feeling rebellious and I scorned Saho for her impudence. And if she didn't want a demon living, why did she order me to restore him to his full health?

Twilight was setting in. I walked back to the stream fuming from the argument, kicking rocks as I went. Hiei appeared beside me and glanced at me with curiosity.

"What's getting you?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said.

"Hn. Liar."

"So be it."

I sprawled myself out on the bank with my stomach exposed to the moon and my hands folded under my head. I was so lost in my own thoughts that I hardly noticed when Hiei laid down a safe distance beside me, so silent that he hardly stirred the grass. I peered at him out of the corner of my eye. His face was a silhouette under the full moon. His black hair wafted with the gentle breeze and a slight hum could be heard under his breath as he spotted a flock of black birds ascending from the trees.

"Being here makes me restless," he said, "I don't know how you stand it."

I shrugged, "I'm so busy with my duties most of the time I hardly have time to think it mundane. A lot of pregnant women have been deciding to give birth this week and it's wearing me out."

"There are no deaths on this island. Just births," he observed.

"People get old. People die."

"But not very often."

"I've had to prepare a body to be burned before," I said, "It was an elderly woman."

Hiei opened his mouth to say something but then closed it, as though he knew better than to say what was on his mind. I turned my head to him to look at him. He turned his head and looked back. His crimson eyes were a beautiful contrast in the dark. His face was grim as always but there was an edge of determination in it that caught me off guard. We stared at each other for awhile longer until he started slowly.

"I've killed before," he said, "Many times."

He said it from a blank space somewhere in his mind… as though he felt no remorse for what he had done. As though he had just accepted it. He was only telling me so that I might accept it too… or not. And for the first time, I could tell myself that I had secretly known this all along. He was just. So. Cold. Most of the time. "I know," I told him.

"How do you know?"

"You tried to choke me when you were still delirious that one time. It came very naturally to you."

"I… thought you were someone else."

"I know. I'm still alive, right?"

"Hn," he said turning his face back to the sky, "Doesn't it bother you?"

Killing was something unfamiliar and alien to me. I had never done it or seen it happen or knew anyone who knew anyone that had been victim or lord over violence. Death could be as simple as snuffing out a lit candle. Yet there was so much that mere mortals did not know about it. I did not think it was a toy to be played with by whoever deemed it fit.

"I think we all have our own will," I decided to say, "And another person's will to live is not something to be tampered with. I could never kill someone. And yet… I cannot think you are evil. There is just so much that I still do not understand, especially about you."

Hiei nodded and turned on his side, looking at me. He gave me a tiny smile. "I do not understand your peace," he told me.

"Then we're even."

My response seemed good enough for him. A wind blew past us and I began to shiver. Hiei pulled his cloak off with a flourish and draped it over me. He had only his undershirt with his pants on underneath. I thought he must be cold but reminded myself that he was not as susceptible to discomfort. I turned on my back, staring at the full moon, when I placed my hand over Hiei's, almost instinctively. I did not look at his face but I didn't need to. I felt his hand go rigid under mine and then soften as our skins became accustomed to each other and warmed. I snuggled into his overcoat, breathing in the scent of pine from the tree he retreated to in his own seclusion.

_And seclusion became no more. _


End file.
